The "Final Concept Plan" for the Noquochoke Village Community Housing project was the solitary item on the Board of Selectmen's August 13 meeting.
The final plan calls for 54 units to be built on the 32-acre site just off Route 177. Thirty-nine of the units will count toward the affordable requirements of the state. Sixty percent of the units would be rental, 40 percent for sale. The total development cost is approximately $12 million ($220,000 per unit).
The plan was outlined by GLC of Boston, a real estate consulting firm that analyzes projects like Noquochoke Village, and Kennen Landscape Architecture, based in Cambridge, Mass., a design, landscape architecture, and planning practice that has done extensive planning work with municipalities on Cape Cod. They have been working with the HPC since last April.
"GLC created plans that work economically and match the objectives heard to date and have written a draft RFP that could be used to solicit a developer to develop a mixed housing development," GLC partner Drew Leff said.
Kate Kennen opened with a project overview showing the design goals for a 54-unit project. She addressed traffic patterns, buffering, safety, water supply, property values and maintenance. She stressed that the plans included citizen input about making Noquochoke Village a model for future development and provided an advanced wastewater treatment system that would remove substantial amounts of nitrogen from a 10,000-gallon per day waste water septic system.
Ms. Kennen showed topographical slides of the Quinn and Perry properties that comprise most of the site and various configurations of residential and rental units that would be built there. The final plans had what Ms. Kennen called the "look and feel of Westport," including recreational areas and conservation areas that preserve open space.
The second part of the program laid out GLC's market analysis, financial assumptions, and zoning considerations. Projected rental costs and sales prices of Noquochoke Village units were based on comparably sized homes for sale in the area, rental costs of complexes in Dartmouth and Fall River, and estimated costs of units that will be offered at Strawberry Fields and Lincoln Park developments.
The maximum number of bedrooms in the village's layout would be 90, based on state standard of each bedroom producing 110 gallons/day and a septic field that can handle 10,000 gallons/day.
The Perry parcels on the north of the area were purchased with CPA funds and cant be resold so GLC recommended placing rental units there.
Condominiums in a town house format could be built on the Quinn parcels that have no restrictions.
Mr. Leff concluded by discussing the RFP (requests for proposals) process. He suggested creating a document that protects the town — a developer selection process, subject to the approval of the HPC and the Board of Selectmen — that makes sure "we get the goals and objectives we established for the project." The selection process would aim to find developers who have experience, are financially responsible, and are willing to abide by the constraints of the document.
Mr. Coughlin asked for permission to apply for state grants to clean up contaminated soil on the site so it wouldn't be an impediment in developing the land. He was granted permission in a unanimous vote.
During the question and answer period, Mr. Mauk asked whether owners of affordable units could get market value profits when they sold their units. Mr. Leff said that there are requirements that units be resold to people that meet the criteria for buyers of affordable units. The returns on the seller's investment are limited by the state as well, he said.
Mr. Mauk expressed concern that out-of-towners could displace Westport residents in state mandated lotteries that select renters. Mr. Leff said that a preference might be stipulated that a certain percentage of renters be Westport residents.
From the audience, Elizabeth Collins said that many children of Westport families have moved out of town because they can't afford to buy homes here and that the lottery would give them a chance to return.
There was some discussion about whether the project would be 40R (provides financial incentives for the town providing the zoning is suitable) or a "friendly" 40B. Mr. Leff said that could be decided later in the process.
The board made no motion to act on GLC's proposal.
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